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Optus’ EOFY NBN Deals: How Do They Stack Up?

Alex Angove-Plumb Avatar
Alex Angove-Plumb
Optus’ EOFY NBN Deals: How Do They Stack Up?
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It’s the end of the financial year – or EOFY – and Optus is offering discounts on its NBN 100, NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans. 

The EOFY deal claims you’ll save up to $180 over the first six months after signing up to an eligible Optus NBN plan, as long as you do so before June 30. It sounds straightforward until you compare it to Optus’ regular pricing.

The $180 figure on the EOFY deal includes Optus’ standard introductory deal of $10 per month for the first six months on its NBN 100 plans (total discount of $60) and $20 per month on its NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans (total of $120).

Once you account for these standard discounts, the EOFY deal only saves you $120 on an Optus NBN 100 plan over six months, and $60 on an NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan.

Here are Optus’ NBN plans with the EOFY discount:

But savings are savings, so how does Optus’ EOFY pricing compare to other NBN plans? At risk of ruining the surprise, they’re still not the cheapest going.

Many or most other NBN providers also offer introductory discounts, then increase to an ongoing price after six or so months. To even things out a bit, let’s compare Optus to some other NBN plans we’ve ranked by total cost over the first 12 months.

Here’s how the Optus’ cheapest NBN 100 plan looks like versus other NBN 100 plans in WhistleOut’s database:

Here’s a look at the 10 cheapest NBN 250 plans, alongside Optus’ NBN 250 Everyday plan:

And here’s how Optus looks next to the cheapest NBN 1000 plans over 12 months, with typical evening speeds of at least 400Mbps:

No contract, unless…

While Optus’ NBN plans don’t have a lock-in contract, its ‘included’ modems do. This is important if you’re thinking of grabbing a cheeky six-month discount before switching providers.

If you take Optus’ recommendation and pick up an Ultra WiFi Modem Gen 2 with your plan (plus an Ultra WiFi Booster for a Family Entertainer plan), you need to stick around for 36 months or pay a hardware fee.

Optus Plus Everyday NBN plans only have to pay out the modem, which is $8.50 for every month remaining in the 36-month term (a total of $306 if you leave immediately). 

Family Entertainer plans come with the Ultra WiFi Booster, which adds a further $6 per month remaining on your term, for a total cost of $522 if you bail straight away.

While you’re unlikely to sign up and then promptly ride off in search of greener pastures, keep this in mind when choosing between bringing your own modem or grabbing a new one from Optus. After all, 36 months is a long time if you decide the plan isn’t for you.

Optus perks

While it doesn’t have the cheapest NBN plans, there are other reasons to consider Optus.

4G backup is one example, which is a free inclusion, but only works with an Optus-provided modem. If your NBN cuts out, the modem automatically switches to a 4G internet connection. The only other NBN providers with 4G backup are Aussie Broadband, Telstra, Vodafone and iiNet, each of which handle it a bit differently.

It’s only meant as a temporary measure and Optus’ 4G backup speeds are limited to 25Mbps for downloads and 2Mbps up (similar to other providers that offer backup), but basic internet is better than no internet at all – especially if you work from home or have other special needs. Plus, the maximum 25Mbps download speed of backup is enough to stream HD video, which we all know is what you’re really concerned about.

Another reason you might opt for Optus is its subscription discount platform, SubHub. Linking eligible subscription services – such as Netflix or Microsoft 365, among many others – to SubHub combines them into a single monthly bill, which makes budgeting a lot easier (especially if you’re a streaming service hoarder). 

If you add two services, you get a 5% discount off that bill. Three or more services will net you a 10% discount. Whether this works out as better than signing up to a cheaper NBN provider depends on which and how many services you link, so you might need to do a little maths to know for sure.

Sport fans should also consider Optus Sport – the telco’s popular sport streaming service. Normally $24.99 per month, Optus NBN subscribers can get it for just $6.99. By itself, this $18 per month saving does some heavy lifting to bridge the distance between an Optus NBN plan and those from cheaper providers.

Want more EOFY deals?

Check out more savings below:

Alex Angove-Plumb is a journalist at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website